New Rock Instrumental - The Last Outpost

Nice! That's a really cool bass line and the guitar work is amazing, as usual. 

Thanks Janet!  Thanks Grant!

Good one Mark. A little bit Satch, a touch of Hendrix, very cool. Timing goes adrift around 0:53 - 1:05, there's lots going there so I can't pin it down.
Wonderful tone on this, and some nifty harmonies thrown in for spice.

Thanks Geno - On this tune I used an Ibanez JS 1000 for the tapping thing at the intro, middle and end and for the chunky rhythm in the left channel.  The main lead is on a PRS CE 24 and the jazzy sort of rhythm is on the Ibanez AW 73 semi-hollow body.  All through the Marshall JCM 2000 head and JCM 900 1960A cab miked with an SM58.

Thanks James - I'm not hearing the timing issue of which you speak, but it's not unusual for me to miss timing issues.

performance ---song ---  + + 1

suggestion  ---- snare need more presence in the mix---more thud and snap----drums are EQed with more high end ---needs more mid and low end

Hi Mark. Not sure if the volume of  the intro was supposed to be low for effect. Main riff is really dynamite and starting right off with it sounds fantastic. The clean funkier rythym guitar is great and is really a nice addition to add interest. I love that the bends that are part of the main melody. Including the quick chords in the midst of the single notes is something that I've always appreciated from you. Slightest hesitation or something at .53 only stands out because the rest of the playing is so good. A bit of harmony not overdone at about 1:20 is nice and the sort of spread take on the opening riff right after the riff hits again at about 1:40 is such attention to detail. Bends that come next add excitment. Exposing the ascending and descending rythym is great and I like the delay in the ending. Dynamite playing and you're really pushing technique in interesting but tasteful ways.

I usually lose interest in most instrumentals and never even finish listening to them but not this one. Loved it. Great tones on all the guitar parts. Some serious drum work going on there too.

Hi Mark, great playing ! Just love that opening lick, good job bringing that back later on. Great use of syncopation, not timing issues ! 


Greetings, Rik

Are you going direct out on your new bass amp? It sounds really good.

Love the shredding and nice tones on the geetar. You're really awesome at being able to play fast and still incorporate hooks.  Enjoyed this one quite a bit!

Holy flying fingers, Batman! Masterful melodics, mister. I think I heard some Jeff Beck screaming by...................Excellendo...........Ron

BIABDude


performance ---song ---  + + 1

suggestion  ---- snare need more presence in the mix---more thud and snap----drums are EQed with more high end ---needs more mid and low end

Thanks BIABDude.  I tend to agree with your assessment of the drums.  I'll look into it.

Wookiee


I heard a little Frank in this nice

Thanks for sharing.

Frank who?  Sinatra?  I don't hear it.

rhynosynth


Hi Mark. Not sure if the volume of  the intro was supposed to be low for effect. Main riff is really dynamite and starting right off with it sounds fantastic. The clean funkier rythym guitar is great and is really a nice addition to add interest. I love that the bends that are part of the main melody. Including the quick chords in the midst of the single notes is something that I've always appreciated from you. Slightest hesitation or something at .53 only stands out because the rest of the playing is so good. A bit of harmony not overdone at about 1:20 is nice and the sort of spread take on the opening riff right after the riff hits again at about 1:40 is such attention to detail. Bends that come next add excitment. Exposing the ascending and descending rythym is great and I like the delay in the ending. Dynamite playing and you're really pushing technique in interesting but tasteful ways.

Thanks rhyno.  You give the most in-depth critiques and I really appreciate it.

zungle


Great playing man,great playing...................

Thanks zungle!

Bub


I usually lose interest in most instrumentals and never even finish listening to them but not this one. Loved it. Great tones on all the guitar parts. Some serious drum work going on there too.

Bub, thanks for sticking around til the end.  I appreciate it!

Bob Oister


Hey, Mark,
 
How are you, buddy?  Hope you had a great holiday weekend!
 
Fantastic job on this lively rock instrumental!  Nice fluid playing, as always, and thick rich lead guitar tones that move the song along really nicely.
 
All in all, you've got one classy sounding fusion rocker here, excellent work!
Bob

Bob, great to see you.  How ya doing?  I'm glad you like it.

morenoise


Hi Mark, great playing ! Just love that opening lick, good job bringing that back later on. Great use of syncopation, not timing issues ! 


Greetings, Rik

Thanks Rik.  I'm glad someone appreciated the syncopation.!

darylcrowley


Very tricksy!  I don't get how that tapping stuff works, I watch it being done, but it I don't understand the mechanics.  I was watch Steve Vai last night and he makes me feel like an idiot.  Before that I was watching Carlos Santana.... and I could jam with him without embarrasing myself but then he's my age.

Bass sounds good too.   Very cool!

Daryl

Hey Daryl,  Thanks for checking it out.  Funny you should mention Vai's tapping.  It is precisely something I saw him do that inspired this song.  It's a tapping where you have both hands on top of the fretboard instead of the usual position of having the left hand beneath the fretboard.  You can get amazing speed this way, but boy does it ever take a lot of practice.  Check him out here on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vv5UUEHfOXU and you'll see the technique on his intro and especially his solo at 3:25.  I'm just glad I can still learn new tricks at my age.

dlogan


Are you going direct out on your new bass amp? It sounds really good.

Love the shredding and nice tones on the geetar. You're really awesome at being able to play fast and still incorporate hooks.  Enjoyed this one quite a bit!

Hey Dave, good to see you.  Yes it is the bass amp direct out.  I think I'm finally learning how to set the amps controls correctly.

bayoubill


THIS GOES GREAT WITH THAT 3RD CUP OF COFFEE~~~11111!!!!!!!!!!!

AWESOME AS USUAL Mark

It took me more than 3 cups to play this!  Thanks Bill!

savageopera


Holy flying fingers, Batman! Masterful melodics, mister. I think I heard some Jeff Beck screaming by...................Excellendo...........Ron

Thanks Ron!

evadianepug


That'll make ya move in the mornin'  I really like this, Mark.  Not too complicated just a stinkin' driving tune!  +++++1, to quote BiabDude

Thanks Warren,  appreciate it!

Beagle


hey mark!  wow, this is just excellent! 

I'm listening on headphones and something is bouncing back and forth in the stereo field - way too quickly, too, IMO.  it's a little too much stereo bounce, but I can't quite put my finger on exactly which instrument is doing it.  one of the guitar FX I'm sure - probably whatever it was that the very last FX at the end was?

anyway - very nice stuff!  excellent chops my friend!

Thanks Reece.  Appreciate the comments.  It's probably the delay on the lead.  I didn't find it objectionable but I'll look at it again.  There may be some high frequency artifacts that I just can't hear anymore.

Weeeeehooooo, this has some really tasty stuff in it Mark. Very clean tapping and picking. This kinda stuff is so beyond me, but I really appreciate it when its done well. This is.

Randy

Mark,
Kicking butt right from the first measure. 
You speak with so much clarity and depth... with your fingers.  Amazing playing but not just playing...the stories you tell with your axe. 
Outstanding. 

 This is great guitar playing man! I am a new guitar player and I am wondering if I should just quit now